Means for marking burglarized papers



March 31, 1936.

Filed Dec. 18, 1954 5 Sheets-Sheet FIG. 3

2/ 22 FIG! 3 aw va 7-- J .J a H w r a H c 2 L m 7 u 2 u FIGS o a a o a o o 0 PAUL C.NAVIS WILLIAM A.MORAN JR.

GEORGE E. VON.BERG

THEODORE P. GARANKIN INVENTORS QA fl mm A TTORNEYS.

March 31, 1936. I P. e, NAVIS ET AL I 2,035,498 I MEANS FOR MARKING BURGLARIZED PAPERS Filed Dec. 18, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG.8 g Q 54 J 39 a7 2'0 ii a 11 {53' i Q??? 5 5 1 2 PAUL C a 7 FIGS 4 WILLIAM A. MORAN JR. GEORGE'E. VON BERG 49 THEODORE P. GARANKIN I I INVENTORS BY M flwmw- A TTORNEYS.

March 31, 1936. P. c. NAVlS ET AL MEANS FOR MARKING BURGLARIZED PAPERS Fild Dec.

w a m F 1 m 5?: .1.

6 M W m m 2 m m F v m w w H' HHHHHHHH I....HHWHHHHHHVUHHHU/HW WHHHHHHHHMHH D m w w/ Z m w v w FIG.HI

PAUL C. NAVIS WILLIAM A. MORAN JR.

GEORGE E, VON BERG THEODORE P. GARANKIN' IN VEN TORS ATTORNEYS;

Patented Mar. 31, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MEANS FOR MARKING BURGLARIZED PAPERS Application December 18, 1934, Serial No. 758,078

5 Claims.

Our invention relates to methods of instantaneous marking of valuable papers for their identification and has particular reference to methods and devices for permanently marking such 5 papers at the moment when they are being surrendered to armed robbers.

The object of our invention is to provide means for leaving permanent and indelible distinguishing or identifying marks on bills, bonds and other negotiable papers at the moment when it becomes known that these papers will be taken by force by unauthorized persons.

It is a well known fact that even armed guards usually do not afford complete protection to val- 15 uable paper against bands of armed robbers, es-

pecially when such paper are being carried by messengers in bags or other containers, as the robbers often find it possible to cover the guard and the messenger with their guns before the g guard has a chance to bring his own gun into action. The messenger who carries the bag has even less opportunity to defend himself and his v bag.

The practice has shown, however, that whenever bills or other valuable papers have been marked for identification, as it happened, for instance, in many cases of kidnaping, extortion, etc., such marked paper proved to be a very reliable means for apprehending the robbers.

The importance of such marking is generally recognized, but it can be but seldom used, as in cases of robbery by armed bandits, messengers and their guards have no time nor opportunity to mark the paper in any way by any ordinary methods, especially since these papers are usually transported in closed bags or similar containers.

We discovered, however, that it is possible to provide a mechanism whereby the papers in a 40 bag or similar container can be instantly and indelibly marked for identification, when the messenger or carrier of the bag is confronted and overpowered by the armed bandits and must surrender the bag. 4 We provide for this purpose a power operated mechanism in the bag in connection with a suitable marking agent, such as ink, fumes, vapors, gases or powders, sealed in small containers. The energy of the operating mechanism is stored and locked by a suitable means, but can be releashed at the moments notice thereby opening the containers with marking substances. For releasing the energy we prefer to use triggerlike devices supported at the handle of the bag and provided with locks in order to prevent their accidental release.

We found that a spring normally held under compression furnishes a convenient source of power for releasing the marking substances, as such springs can be easily wound or tightened, and can be instantly released by a suitable trigger.

Instead of marking substances we also use mechanical marking means, such as saws or toothed knives, adapted to cut the edges of the papers when moved by suitable springs.

As a source of power for the marking devices we also use powder cartridges exploded by finger triggers, the cartridges acting on pistons, which a in turn move mechanical cutting devices or hammers for breaking containers with marking substances. 1

The cartridges can be also used for igniting explosive cord placed in proximity to the edges of the papers in order to burn the marks on their edges.

Our invention can be used for the protection of papers kept in drawers, safes or vaults. For this purpose containers or capsules with marking substances are placed near the papers together with actuating devices set for action. The triggers are brought outside and placed near the handles of the doors of such storage places.

Our invention is more fully explained in the accompanying specification and drawings in which- Fig. 1 is a partial sectional elevation of a portable container for papers provided with our marking mechanism, Fig. 2 is a partial sectional end view of the same, Fig. 3 is a detail view of a trigger hook, Fig. 4 is, a detail view of a perforated rack for the papers, Fig. 5 is an end view of the same, Fig. 6 is a detail view of a tube or cartridge for a marking substance, Fig. 7 is a partial sectional elevation of a modified device, Fig. 8 is a sectional end View of the same with the trigger and hammer parts removed, Fig. 9 is a detail view of a, paper clamp, Fig. 10 is a partial sectional elevation of a modified device, Fig. 11 is a modified detail view of a trigger mechanism, Fig. 12 is a sectional plan view of a safe drawer with our protecting device, Fig. 13 is a detail View of. a partition in the drawer, Fig. 14 is an end view of the same in section, Fig. 15 is a sectional plan view of the same, and Fig. 16 is a detail view of a modification.

Our marking device consists of a frame or rack .5 attached by its upper part inside to a cover of a portable container or box 2 with screws 3. The back wall of the frame I' has shelves 4 for tubes or cartridges 5 preferably made of a thin brittle material such as glass. They are closed with corks 6 and are supported on the shelves between the end walls of the frame I. Some or all of these tubes contain a liquid 1 which, when applied to the paper, will leave indelible marks on it. For this purpose strong dye solutions may be used, especially those of the aniline group, or such liquids as will affect the structure of the paper itself, such as acids or alkalis. Vapors 8 of such liquids may be also used preferably under compression, as well as powders or gases such as chlorine. When such substances are kept under compression, the corks 6 are replaced by screw caps 9, Fig. 6, and the body of the cartridge is re inforced by bands or hoops ID. The cartridges are retained in their places by the end walls of the frame I as shown in Fig. 2, and by a sliding bar II at the front. The lower end of the bar is slidably fitted in a slot in a bottom board I2 of the frame I', and the upper end is attached to a rod I3 extending through a slot I4 in the cover of the box 2 and slidably fitted in a plate I5 fastened to the cover of the box. A compression spring I6 is placed on the rod I3 between the upper end of the bar II and the under side of the plate I5 and tends to push the bar down. Normally the bar is kept in the raised or inoperative position by latches I'I pivoted on pins I8 and drawn together so as to engage slots I9 at the sides of the rod I3. A locking device in the shape of a double hook 20 engages the sides of the latches I'I thereby preventing them from accidentally turning sideways and releasing the rod I3. The hook 20 is pivoted by its upper end to the end of a lever 2|. The latter is pivotally mounted on a pin 22 supported in a bracket 23 mounted on the plate I5. The other end of the lever 2I has a ring 24 the lower portion of which is normally held down against the plate I5 by a locking latch 25 pivoted on a pivot 26 and having a lip or lug 21. A handle 28 is provided for the box 2, the ring 24 of the trigger lever 2I being placed inside of this handle and protected by a shield 29.

The bar II is provided with lugs 30 extending above the cartridges or capsules 5. These lugs are adapted to break or puncture the cartridges when the bar II is released. In order to facilitate the breaking of the cartridges, the lugs 30 are staggered as shown in Fig. 1 so that only one or few lugs come in contact with the corresponding cartridges at first, and after these few cartridges have been broken, next lugs come in contact with their cartridges, and so forth.

The rear wall of the frame I has apertures 3| formed by punching out and bending the shelves 4. At the rear of the wall a plate 32 is supported provided with perforations 33 and a plurality of staggered sharp needles 34. Packages 35 of bills or other papers are stacked in the box 2, the papers being forced with their edges against the needles so that the needles are caused to pass between the papers in order to facilitate the penetration of marking fluids into the spaces between the papers near their edges.

'The operation of our device is as follows.

The packages 35 are placed in the box 2 impaling the ends of the papers on the needles 34. With the cover of the box open or removed, the rod I3 is inserted in the slot I4 and through the aperture in the plate I5 by compressing the spring I6 and then looked in this position by turning the latches I1 so as to engage the slots in the rod I3 while the ring 24 is raised in order to lower the locking hook 20. With the latches I! in theiroperative positions engaging the slots in the rod I3, the ring 24 is lowered thereby looking the latches with the hook 20. The ring 24 is locked in this position by the locking latch 21. The rear wall I with the cartridges is then assembled and fastened with the screws or bolts 3, engaging the lower end of the bar II with the slot in the bottom bar l2.

A similar rack 32 with the needles 34 may be placed in front of the bar II for packages of paper stacked in that portion of the box. With loose papers the rack 32 may be dispensed with as then there will be enough clearance between the papers for the penetration of the marking fluids.

The container 2 with the papers inside can be carried safely by the handle 28. The forefinger of the carrier may be held inserted in the ring 24 above the lug 21 of the lock. The box or bag 2 may be roughly handled without any danger of the mechanism becoming released. The cartridges may be further protected by the hoops II] which may be made of an elastic material like rubber if the cartridge walls are sufficiently strong to withstand the internal pressure without reinforcing hoops. The rubber hoops will prevent breakage of the cartridges from jar or vibration during transportation of the box.

In emergency, when confronted by armed robbers, the messenger or carrier in surrendering the bag needs only to push the lug 21 sideways and to raise the ring 24. The hook 20 will then release the latches IT by forcing its cam-shaped portion 36 between them. With the rod I3 released, the string IE will push the rod with the bar I I down and the lugs 4 will successively break the cartridges 5 thereby releasing the marking substances. The latter will rapidly spread inside of the box, penetrating between the papers at the needles 34. It is possible, of course, to use different liquids or vapors in different cartridges.

, these liquids being of such nature that upon mixing they will produce acrid penetrating fumes leaving indelible discoloration on the papers. The marking thus produced will take effect practically instantaneously, especially if the fluids in the cartridges were under sufficient pressure.

A modified arrangement is shown in Figs. '7, 8 and 9. Here the cover 31 of a box or bag 38 is provided with an elongated slot 39 for a slotted bar 49 engaging the upper ends of bars 4 I. These bars are slidably fitted in a frame 42 but normal- 1y are held in the raised position by shearing pins 43 passing through the walls of the frame 42. The lower ends of the bars do not reach the bottom of the box 38 where a housing is formed by the lower portions of the frame 42. A cartridge or capsule 44 is placed in this housing under the ends of the bars 4I, this cartridge being filled with a marking fluid, preferably under compres sion. The bars 4| are provided with inclined slots 45, the sides of the slots engaging guiding pins 46 fastened in the walls of the frame 42. The slots are made so that they force the bars to move apart if these bars are pushed down,

bringing them together again when raised, the F sides of the slots forming cam surfaces. The outer edges of the bars M are provided with sharp teeth 41 adapted to cut the edges of the papers in packages 35 stacked near the bars M as shown in Fig. '7. The paper packages are held firmly by a clamp formed of a yoke 48 with a sliding sleeve 49 which can be fastened in any position on the vertical bar of the yoke by a screw 50. A horizontal bar is attached to the sleeve 49 and is used to clamp the packages against the upper horizontal bar of the yoke. If desired the yoke may be attached to the bottom of the box 38 by suitable clamps or screws (not shown).

A plate 52 is supported on the cover 31 and is provided with a cylinder 53 in which slides a plunger 54 attached to the slotted bar 40. A

space is provided at the top of the cylinder for an explosive cartridge 55 with a fulminate 55 on top.

A cap 58 is screwed on. top of the cylinder 53 and is provided with an aperture 59 on top over the fulminate for the point 60 of a hammer 6|. The aperture 59 is usually closed by a plate or latch 62 hinged on a pivot 63 and provided with a lug 64 for turning it.

The hammer BI is pivoted on a pivot 65 supported on a bracket 66 mounted on the plate 52. The other end of the hammer has an aperture 61 for a rod 68' the lower end of which is fastened in the bracket 66 and plate 52. A compression spring 69 is placed on the rod 68 and tends to push the end of the hammer up. The hammer is. held in the cooked position as shown by a. lug on a trigger ring II. The latter is pivot-ed on a pivot 72 and is turned down by the pres sure of the spring Ii9 through the end of the hammer and lug 10. The lug I0 is sufficiently short so that. when the ring I! is raised the lug slides off the end of the hammer. A handle (not shown) similar to the handle 28 is mounted over the hammer and trigger mechanism. This mechanism is not shown in Fig. 8.

The box 38 is shown constructed so that the cover 3'! remains in place when the packages are placed in their position or removed, there being a side door (not shown) for this purpose. The packages are clamped separately in the yoke 48 and then placed inside as shown near the sawtooth edges of the bars M. In this position the papers in the bag can be safely handled and the bag or box 38 carried by a messenger, as the hammer cannot strike the fulminate even if the ring I! is accidentally pulled up, the locking plate 62 preventing the hammer from reaching the fulminate. Inorder to operate the mechanism, the plate 62 must be turned aside and the ring II raised. Its lug I0 slides off the end of the hammer, releasing the latter to be acted upon by the spring 69 and to strike the fulminate thereby exploding the cartridge and pushing the plunger 54down.

The plunger in moving down will press on the bars 4| breaking the safety pins 43. guided by the sides of the slots 45 on the pins 45, will move down and apart, approaching the edges of the papers in the packages 35 and cutting through them by the teeth 41. At the same time the lower ends of the bars will break or puncture the cartridge 44 thereby releasing marking fluids. The latter immediately spread over the interior of the box 38 staining the papers.

The cartridge 44 may be omitted if desired, when only cutting action on the paper by the bars 4| is required, or the teeth from the bars may be removed, if only staining of the papers is required by the gases or vapors from the cartridge 44.

Another modification is shown in Fig. 10 specially adapted for a soft bag 13. This device end in the plate 86.

The bars,

consists of a tube 74 provided'with a mushroomshaped enlargement over which the top of the bag is tied vwth a belt or ring 16. A nipple I1 is screwed on the lower end of the tube 14 and is provided with small holes 18. A bulb 19,

is filled under compression with a suitable marking gas or vapors. A shield or deflector 52 is supported on the upper end of the nipple 'IT.

A rod 83 is slidably fitted in the tube 14 and has a sharp point 84 at the lower end adapted to puncture the diaphragm 8| when the rod. 83 is pushed down.

The upper end of the tube 14 is fitted into a nipple or bushing 85 attached to a plate 85 forming a part of a handle 81.

The upper end of the rod 83 has an eye 88 loosely fitting over one end of a lever 89 mounted on a pivot 90 in a bracket 9| supported on the plate 86. The other end of the lever 89 has an aperture 92 for a rod 93 fastened with its lower A compression spring 94 on the rod 93 tends to turn the lever and to push the rod 83 down. The free end of the lever 89 is held by a lug E0 on a trigger ring II pivotally supported on a pivot I2 passing through a bracket 95. A latch plate 96 is mounted on the plate 85and can be turned by 2. lug 91 on a pivot 98. By pushing sideways on the lug 9'Ithe locking latch 96 is turned away from the ring H thereby releasing the latter so that it can be raised until the lug "I0 passes beyond-the end of the lever 89. The latter is thereby released and is turned over by the spring, causing the pin 84 to puncture the container diaphragm 8|.

Another modification, also for a bag, is shown in Fig. 11. Here the tube 14 is screwed with its upper end into a tubular member 99 provided with ears I00. The bag (not shown) is fastened to these ears by straps IOI. The bushing 99 is attached to a plate I02 forming part of a handle (not shown) similar to the handle 81. A rod I03 is slidably fitted in the tube 14. A compression spring I04 tends to push the rod down, bearing on a pin I05. The upper end of the rod has a knob I05 engaged by a pawl I01 on one end of a shaft I08 rotatively mounted in a bracket I09 on the plate I02. A curved trigger H0 is fastened to the other end of the shaft I08 and rests against the plate I02. A locking latch III is pivoted on a pivot H2 and holds the trigger by its free end. A lug or tongue H3 is provided on the latch for turning it.

Our system can be also applied to the protection of papers kept in drawers of a safe as shown in Figs. 12, 13,14, 15 and 16. A drawer H4 in a safe H5 is divided by partitions IIB into several compartments I I! into which packages of bills or similar valuable papers are placed. The partitions are preferably made of an insulating material such as glass, fiber, etc. and are provided with slots IIB for thin wires H9. The wires form several complete loops in the drawer as shown in Figs. 12 and 15, their ends being connected to contact brushes I20. The latter slide over contact bars I 2I. Leads I 22 connect the bars I2I with a source of electric current (not shown). A switch I23 is placed on the safe for closing the electric circuit. The wires II 9 are made of such thickness that they become incandescent as soon as the current is tumed on, burning the edges of papers while the drawer is being pulled out. L1 some cases it may be desirable to let the wires completely burn out in order to render their action more rapid.

Explosive cord I24, Fig. 16, can be also used instead of the wires in the slots II8 between the partitions IIIi. with a fulminate I25 under one end of a striking rod I26 held under tension by a spring I2'I. The enlarged upper end of the rod is held by one end of a sliding trigger bar I28 on a plate I29. The bar I28 is pressed against the rod by a spring I30. A handle I3I is provided on the rod for pushing it away from the rod I26 thereby releasing the latter. Our device can be arranged either for marking papers, or for damaging them so as to render them unusable. In the latter case, of course, duplicate papers must be issued when the robbery becomes known.

We claim as our invention:

1. In a device for marking papers, the combination of containers adapted to be kept with said papers in a common enclosure, marking fluids under compression in said containers, ducts extending from said containers to the edges of said papers, manual means for releasing said fluids from said containers into said ducts, said ducts being adapted to spray said fluids against the edges of said papers, and means to keep the edges of said papers separated to facilitate the penetration of said fluids between said papers.

2. In a device for marking papers, the combination of containers adapted to contain marking fluids under compression, means to support said containers near the edges of stacks of said One end of the cord is connected papers, means to keep the edges of said papers near said containers separated, and a manual means to release said fluids from said containers against said edges.

3. In a device for marking papers, the combination of sealed containers with marking fluids, means to support said containers near the edges of papers arranged in stacks, means to keep the edges of said papers separated near said containers, and a manually controlled means for releasing said fluids into said stacks of papers.

4. In a device for marking papers, the combination of sealed containers with a marking fluid, means to support said containers near the edges of papers arranged in stacks, a perforated board supported between said containers and said papers, a plurality of needles on said board adapted to be inserted into the edges of said stacks for separating said papers, and a manually controlled means for releasing said fluids from said containers into said stacks through the perforations in said board.

5. In a device for marking papers, the combination of breakable sealed containers with a marking fluid, means to support said containers near the edges of papers arranged in stacks, means to keep the edges of said papers near said containers separated, means to break said containers for releasing said fluid into said stacks,

and means to manually control said breaking 

